Chinglish: China and the English language

Posted by Alex on March 17, 2010 under Language Study | Be the First to Comment

As China has begun to allow more Western culture to flow in, senior government officials are struggling to keep English words out of Chinese vocabulary, reported the London Telegraph. On Monday, Huang Youyi, chairman of the International Federation of Translators, stated: “If we do not pay attention and we do not take measures to stop Chinese mingling with English, Chinese will no longer be a pure language in a couple of years.”

English words have recently become popular in China, especially slang and words related to technology and pop culture, such as “DVD,” “bye-bye,” and “guitar.” The rise in popularity of English words is mirrored in the increasing popularity of Western movies, television shows, and music. More students are opting to study English, because, according to Mr. Huang, of a desire to seem more international and cosmopolitan.
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